Watch: Trailer for Cameron's 3D Underwater Thriller 'Sanctum'!

Capitalizing on the James Cameron buzz today, Universal has debuted the first official trailer (via Apple) for Sanctum, the James Cameron-produced 3D underwater action-adventure movie shot entirely in Australia. Sanctum features an Aussie cast including Richard Roxburgh, Rhys Wakefield, Alice Parkinson, Dan Wyllie and Alice Parkinson. This starts out a lot like The Descent, with an expedition to some caves, but everything goes wrong and they must go underwater, and that's when things get intense. This trailer is a bit top heavy, but it still looks good, or at least I'm sure the 3D will look great, as this was shot on Cameron's 3D cameras.

You can also watch the official trailer for Sanctum in High Definition on Apple

An underwater cave diving team experiences a crisis during an expedition to an unexplored cave system.

Sanctum is directed by Australian filmmaker Alister Grierson, of only a few other short films and the feature Kokoda previously. The screenplay was co-written by both newcomer John Garvin and Andrew Wight (who produced Cameron's Aliens of the Deep and Ghosts of the Abyss) and is supposedly inspired by a true story. James Cameron and Relativity Media's Ryan Kavanaugh both helped produce the film. Universal is bringing Sanctum to theaters in 3D everywhere starting on February 4th, 2011 early next year. Anyone interested?

Reader Feedback - 41 Comments

"That's where things get creepy." uhhh....??? They just have to survive a cave that's flooding. Intense? Yes. Creepy? No.

Chazzy on Oct 27, 2010

5

*yawn*
If I want to blow an extra five bucks at the movies I'll get something to eat.
I'm not falling for another one of your tricks Mr. Cameron. Not again. I refuse to pay 15 bucks to get a head ache and watch another one of your boring popup books on the big screen again.
viva la terminator one

Notimpressed on Oct 27, 2010

6

SOME PRACTICAL EFFECTS SEEM A LITTLE FAKE

Raul on Oct 27, 2010

7

Wow that looks incredibly cheesy. Plus this trailer uses a voice-over so I know it will be bad. I really want to watch The Abyss now, though.

Traveler on Oct 27, 2010

8

"I'm sure the 3D will look great, as this was shot on Cameron's 3D cameras." Was I the only one unimpressed with Cameron's 3-D? It really wasn't that great.
Trailer showed too much.

that trailer left me not caring at all.........the premise is ridiculous and the acting looks terrible.

beavis on Oct 27, 2010

11

Really? This is actually a trailer? And why they show the end of it?
I don't expect more from mr Cameron. I will not waste my time with this.

D. on Oct 27, 2010

12

It actually looked kinda boring to me. I'll probably see it anyway at some point.

arjones on Oct 27, 2010

13

Cameron is NOT a bullet point in what makes for a good movie. Maybe the 3-D will look snazzy, but thats about all I'm expecting out of a movie with Cameron involved.

Voice of Reason on Oct 27, 2010

14

The only reason they are using Cameron's name in selling this is Avatar obviously. But true film fans know that Avatar wasn't as good as the mainstream public was making it out to be.
The 3D will probably be no better or worse than Resident Evil: Afterlife, since that movie was shot with the same cameras and I didn't think the 3D was that spectacular.

notalent on Oct 27, 2010

15

you realize you type Alice Parkinson's name twice? Good editing job sir.

u on Oct 27, 2010

16

15# I guess it was on purpose. I would also entered twice!!
Alex, check DEBT on apple. Looks amazing!!

D. on Oct 27, 2010

17

This looks pretty bad.

Henry Jones Sr. on Oct 27, 2010

18

The cinematography looks great. The acting and script, based on that trailer, were awful.

Film Fan on Oct 27, 2010

19

"What could possibly go wrong diving in caves?"
I don't trust any movie that includes lines like that in its script.

Looks better than anything else coming up. Too bad it doesnt open till Feb 2011, as this is one of the very, very few movies I'd go to see based on the preview.

uberman on Oct 28, 2010

36

Looks pretty awesome, but the acting is terrible.

True Story on Oct 28, 2010

37

@14:
"But true film fans know that Avatar wasn't as good as the mainstream public was making it out to be."
Anyone who's paid any attention at all to film for the last hundred years knows that from a critical point of view the masses are generally idiots when it comes to film. If you think the people making the films aren't aware of this discrepancy, then you're the fool.
I fail to see how this Avatar argument has anything at all to do with this Sanctum movie. Because it was shot with the same equipment? Does that actually matter? Every film up until now has been shot on 2D equipment. Does that mean we should be saying things like "well, I didn't like Manos: Hands of Fate, so I'm gonna avoid The Departed cause it was shot with the same technology"? The idea is absurd.
I think 3D could be used effectively, but like every new technology you have be able to generate a boatload of cash before you can start thinking about really using the tools to the best of their abilities. I think this film has the right idea. You want to use 3D effectively, then use it to give people a better sense of space. In 2D a giant shaft plummeting into the earth might just look like a hole, but in 3D you can see the real depth and size of it and maybe that sense of scale could be used effectively in a Man vs Nature movie such as this.
I love how art-house trolls will bitch about the "director's vision" unless that vision includes 3D or CG effects or anything else they deem to be too consumer oriented - unless you can fit your alien effects into $30 Million, of course. Then they'll suck your dick.
For the record, District 9 and Avatar were pretty much the exact same film. Evil cliche humans are mean to the poor aliens, human becomes an alien, begins to identify with them, ends with a big stupid action sequence.

Squiggly_P on Oct 28, 2010

38

since avatar i have lost most of my faith in Cameron.

movieguy on Oct 28, 2010

39

Decent was a better film. I don't much care for cave movies if there are no bat-zombie characters in them.